Compass or scriber.



No. 719,381. PATENTED JAN. 27, 1903. H. E. SEYMOUR.

GOMPASSES OR SCRIBER.

A'PPLIOATION FILED 001:.3, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES: 7 g INVENTOR.

A T TORNE Y.

' EETcE.

PATENT HENRY E. SEYMOUR, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

COMPASS ORSCRIBER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,381, dated January 27, 1903.

Application filed October 3, 1902. Serial No. 125,831- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. SEYMOUR, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oompasses or Scribers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved compass and scriber, the object of my invention being to provide a device of this character which shall be especially useful for carpenters in marking lumber for sawing and which can also be used as an ordinary compass for describing circles on boards.

Especially is it the object of my invention to provide a device of this character which can be used for scribing when following a rough surface without catching and also can be used on a plastered surface, such as a wall or ceiling, Without leaving any impression on the plaster.

My invention therefore resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts for the above ends hereinafter fully specified, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved device. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the end of one leg of the device. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 4. is an enlarged side View of the end of the other leg of the device. Fig. 5 is an enlarged View of the same at right angles to that of Fig. 4., and Fig. 6 is a section on the line A A of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 2 represent the legs of the scriber or compass, which are pivoted together, as shown at 3. These legs are adjusted to any suitable angular distance by means of a quadrant 4, which passes through a slot 5 in the leg 2 and is adjusted by means of a set-screw 6. Said quadrant has at its end a stem 7, which passes loosely through an aperture 8 in the leg 1, said stem being screw-threaded at its outer end and carrying thereon a nut 9. A spring 10, se-

cured to the leg 1 and bearing against the end of the quadrant, normally presses the leg 1 outward, so that by turning said not the angular distance of the leg 1 from the leg 2 may be very accurately adjusted.

Upon the lower end of the leg 1 is mounted a roller 11, and in the free end of the other leg is carried a scribing-wheel 12, adapted to mark or indent the surface of the wood over which it is moved. The extreme end of the leg 1 is sufficiently pointed, as shown at 13, to enable said leg to be held stationary by means of said point on aboard of wood while describing a circle with the marking-wheel about said point as center.

The advantage of the roller is that in marking on a wooden or other surface a line with the marking-wheel parallel to a given surface the roller permits of following a rough surface without catching and also permits of following a plastered surface, such as a wall or ceiling, without leaving any impression on the plaster. The marking-wheel is superior to a pencil or a plain point for the purpose desired because the mark left thereby will be plainer, deeper, and more regular. An illustration of the use of the tool in marking lumber for sawing would be in moving the roller upon the floor next to the base-board of a wall to mark the base-board at any de' sired height, and it will readily be seen that the mark thus made will conform to all irregularities in the floor. The tool may also be used as an ordinary compass, using the point as a circle from which to describe a circle.

I am aware that heretofore a wheel for cutting glass has been mounted upon the end of a compass-leg; but such a wheel would be totally inapplicable for the purpose for which my present device is intended, as it would have the effect of cutting the plaster in the wall or ceiling. So far as I am aware I am the first to provide a compass one leg of which has rotatably mounted at its end a roller for rolling against a surface while a parallel mark is being made by a device at the other end of the leg upon another surface at right angles to the first.

I claim 1. The device of the character described comprising the pivoted legs, one of said legs having a point at its end and a roller having a broad smooth bearing-surface around the leg immediately above said point, and the other leg having rotatably mounted in the end thereof a scribing-wheel, substantially as described.

2. A compass and scriber comprising a pair In witness whereof I have hereunto set my of legs pivoted together one of which is prohand in the presence of two subscribing wit- :0 vided at its end with means for marking a nesses.

mark and the other is provided at its end with T 5 a roller rolling in a plane transverse to said HENRY SE1 MOUR leg and having a broad smooth surface ar- Witnesses: ranged to roll against a surface Without mark- FRANCIS M. WRIGHT,

ing the same, substantially as described. JAMES A. BALLENTINE. 

